The Mac Store, which sells and services Apple computers and the company’s other products, will open a store at Westfield Capital mall next month. The store is to open Sept. 17, across from Victoria’s Secret, said Erick Laabs, vice president of Computer Stores Northwest, the Lake Oswego, Ore.-based business that operates The Mac Store.
The new Olympia store will be the company’s 10th location; the next closest location is in Kent. It also has stores in Seattle and Redmond.
Best Buy also sells Apple products and there is a corporate Apple store in Tacoma, but Laabs still thinks there is plenty of pent-up demand for Apple products in the Olympia area.
“I would imagine that there is a huge market that is traveling (to Tacoma) or shopping online because it lacks exposure to Apple,” he said.
The Mac Store has been in business for 35 years, long before Apple decided to open its own retail stores, Laabs said. The business sells all of Apple’s computer products, as well as the company’s iPhones, iPads and iPods, he said. The store also services and carries parts for older computers, makes house calls, has a business-to-business service and offers training to computer users. Laabs said customers can sign up for computer assistance, for example, through the Mac Store website at www.themacstore.com.
Laabs said the company picked Olympia for a new store, partly because there wasn’t an Apple store already, but also because Westfield has invested in the mall in recent years, making it more of a destination. Recent mall additions include the REI store, the movie theaters and The Promenade, the outdoor shopping area adjacent to the main mall. “Olympia has really grown up in the past few years,” he said.
The store expects to hire 25 people. Most of those positions have been filled, but the store still needs to fill about five openings.
Those interested should apply online or call the mall, Laabs said.
The store currently is under construction, but it still caught the attention of mall shoppers Friday.
Adam Mosbey of Westport stopped to take a picture of the store with his iPhone. He said a new store in Olympia will shorten his commute for Apple products. Mosbey said he became an Apple user last year, while his wife, Jaicie, said her family has six Apple computers at home. Asked if they plan to shop at the store, both said, “Oh, yes.”
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403
rboone@theolympian.com
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